Scouts survey parents, leaders about ban on gays

Assistant Scoutmaster and former Marine Chuck Habing says that he'd be at ease working with gay Scouts and adult Scout leaders, and that he doubts they'd cause any disruption.

"I would have no problem with my son tenting with a gay Scout," said the Tustin resident, whose 16-year-old son, Brian, belongs to Troop 36 in Irvine and is working on his Eagle Scout project. He predicts the Boy Scouts of America organization eventually will drop its policy of barring openly gay Scouts and adult leaders.

Nonetheless, Habing would prefer the Boy Scouts continue its current policy. While he said his acceptance of gays continues to grow, he acknowledges being resistant to organizational change.

The Boy Scouts of America is doing similar soul searching and will revisit its policy at the May meeting of its National Council. In preparation, the organization sent a questionnaire to 1.1 million adult leaders and Scouts' parents earlier this month.

"The whole point is that the Boy Scouts of America nationally wants feedback from our constituencies about the possibility of changing membership standards regarding sexual orientation," said Jeff Herrmann, head of the Boy Scouts' Orange County Council.

The 13-question survey asks not only how respondents feel about changing the policy, but seeks reaction – on a five-pointscale ranging from "totally acceptable" to "totally unacceptable" – to a series of scenarios.

"Tom started in the program as a Tiger Cub," reads one scenario, "and finished every requirement for the Eagle Scout Award at 16 years of age. At his board of review, Tom reveals that he is gay. Is it acceptable or unacceptable for the review board to deny his Eagle Scout award based on that admission?"

Habing, the assistant scoutmaster, said the boy should not be denied Eagle Scout status. Another question asks about having an openly gay boy and a heterosexual boy share a tent, while another asks about gay adults accompanying Scouts on campouts.

While some surveys "push" toward predetermined outcomes, Newport Beach pollster Adam Probolsky saw no such bias in the Scout poll.

"The researcher who crafted the questions clearly understood the issue and the operations of the Boy Scouts of America," said Probolsky, who was uninvolved with the poll other than to review questions forwarded to him by the Register. "The researcher chose relevant questions that will yield accurate results on a survey by survey basis."

'A KNOTTY PROBLEM'

Habing said the adults he's talked to in the Scouts are divided over whether openly gay Scouts and adult leaders should be welcomed.

"Some of them are clear-cut – they don't think it should be allowed," he said. "Others think it should be allowed. And some are in the middle, like I am."

North Tustin's Greg Campbell, a former scoutmaster, opposes a change of policy much more ardently than Habing. His 15-year-old son is an Eagle Scout in Tustin's Troop 235. Campbell said it was "totally unacceptable" to have an openly gay Scout and a heterosexual Scout share a tent.

"Scouts have always stood on this high ground of morality," said Campbell, who believes homosexuality is immoral. "We don't talk about sex in the Boy Scouts, so why should we talk about homosexuality? This would open the door to talking about sex."

Campbell is also troubled about the possibility of resultant sexual activity.

"Individuals are susceptible to adopting behavior of those around them," he said. "It's a possibility."

Habing countered that it would be more likely that gays would be harassed by non-gays.

The issue becomes even more complex when you factor in the view of parents who want the policy toward gays changed.

"I have no problem with having gays in the Scouts," said Dana Watkins, whose 14-year-old son, Seth, is working on his Eagle Scout project with Orange's Troop 842. "To not do so is blatantly discriminatory."

But when it comes to openly gay Scouts sharing tents with heterosexual Scouts, Watkins has some reservations. She absolutely opposes having gays share tents for the same reason that she would oppose having heterosexual boys and girls sharing a tent, she says. And she shares Campbell's concern about gays influencing heterosexuals.

"I do think it's possible for others to influence impressionable young boys – and girls – to do things they wouldn't otherwise do," she said. "It's a knotty problem."

'I'VE EVOLVED'

The current process leading up to the May meeting is unprecedented when it comes to the organization'spolicy regarding gays, according to Deron Smith, public relations director for the Boy Scouts of America.

"The BSA has listened to its membership along the way, but nothing like this survey (or its scale)," Smith said via email.

"For example, in 2010 the organization's leaders convened a special committee of professional and volunteer leaders to review this policy. Its two-year-long comprehensive review included forthright and candid conversations and extensive research and evaluation – both within scouting and outside of scouting. At that time, the committee determined that it was in the best interest of the organization to maintain the policy."

Campbell said the current policy amounts to "don't ask, don't tell" – that gays may be participating in Scouts without incident if they aren't open about their sexual orientation. And he said he's OK with that approach.

Habing said he's been wrestling with the issue of gays since he was in the Marines, when he was less tolerant of gays – even of men wearing earrings – than he is now. But even then, he greatly respected a lieutenant colonel widely thought to be a lesbian.

"I would follow her anywhere," he said. "And I have matured since then. I've evolved. If the Scouts decide to include gays, I'll support them. If they decide not to, I'll support that too."